


Interfacing on the Beach

by TwistedSpoon



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Eventual Smut, M/M, Sticky Sexual Interfacing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-02-27 13:47:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2695247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedSpoon/pseuds/TwistedSpoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bumblebee has never told anyone about his infatuation with the decepticon Knockout and doesn’t plan to. One day, two new relic signals appear and Bumblebee races through the ground bridge to investigate, only to find himself in trouble and compelled to work together with his enemy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 'Con on the Horizon

**Author's Note:**

> 2015-05-12 Note: I haven't looked at this for a while and I'm very discouraged from finishing it. It was my first attempt at Transformers smut and it's crappy. I had no idea what I was doing and I was too concerned with what others might think of it, instead of just having fun with it. Just look at the pun title for starters... *facepalm.*

“Are you sure you’re okay on your own Bee?”

Arcee’s calm optics lingered on the black and yellow bot in front of her, her arms crossed.

Bumblebee responded with a confident smile. “Sure Arcee, I’m ready to roll out, you and Bulk go ahead and check out the other signal.”

Ratchet tinkered with the control panel in the background, only half listening to the others, optics fixed on the two signals that popped up on his screen only half an hour ago.

Bumblebee turned to Ratchet, eager to get going.

“Want to hit up a ground bridge for me Ratchet?”

Ratchet mumbled something inaudible, his attention still fixed on the screen.

“Ratchet?”

Ratchet finally jerked his attention away from the big screen. “Uh, yes of course, it’s just, there’s something strange about this signal. I’m trying to figure out what the anomaly is.”

Bee shrugged and smiled overbearingly.

“The only anomaly is that you haven’t sent me on my way yet Ratch, what’s the holdup? I know Optimus is away right now, but I’m sure he would approve of me going.”

Ratchet’s thumb went up to his chin in pondering.

“It’s not that Bumblebee; I just have a weird feeling about this… Just, go alright, if you see anything that might be too dangerous then call me for a ground bridge immediately.”

“Of course Ratch, you know me, I’ll be careful.” A confident grin stretched over Bee’s face.

Arcee gave a knowing huff in the background. “Yeah, right. I think someone’s a little too happy Ratchet was able to fix his voice box.”

Bee’s smile stiffened. “What? I can’t be a little excited that I’m able to speak normally again?”

Arcee ex-vented with a heavy sigh. “Just, go alright; we have your back if anything comes up.”

Bee nodded and felt a surge of excitement coming his way. It had been a while since he had felt the rush of air on his frame in vehicle mode.

Ratchet pulled on the ground bridge lever, right then the familiar sound of an appearing bridge popped and died, and green meshed with blue light started pulsing behind the three autobots.

“Tell Raf I’m ready to play Need for Speed when I get back, if the kids stop by.” Bee turned his head to Arcee and Ratchet and gestured a see-you-soon, before he transformed and sped towards the ground bridge.

Behind him, Arcee gave Ratchet a knowing look. “He’s been way too energized since he got his voice back”.

“Hm, he’s just happy” Ratchet shrugged. “Besides, a little over-positivity won’t hurt anyone around here.”

 

~ • ~

 

The yellow Camaro appeared abruptly from the pulsating ground bridge. Bumblebee drove out on soft ground, feeling a heavy and grainy foundation under his wheels. As abruptly as it had appeared, the bridge closed behind him. Bee transformed into robot-mode and took in the beautiful sight before him.

As far as optics could see was the ocean, dark green and mesmerizing. Bee stood on an abandoned patch of beach, with white sand under his pedes and huge dunes in the background, topped with sharp light-green vegetation. Bee tried to see what lay beyond the stretches of sand, but it only seemed to continue endlessly in both directions.

He moved forward towards the water, enticed, patching in Ratchet as he went.

“Ratchet, are you there? You should see this.”

Ratchet’s voice went through with a great deal of static. “What is it? Decepticons?”

Bee rolled his optics. “No, it’s…” Bee glanced back towards the dunes behind him, waking him back up to reality, “never mind. Would you upload the coordinates again, something here makes my equipment glitch.”

“Of course.”

Bee received the data from Ratchet once again and started his trek by moving back towards the dunes. He wanted to see what lay behind them. He climbed the first dune with difficulty, his pedes kept sinking deep into the loose sand. When he finally reached the top, all he could see was dark purple moorland, stretching as endlessly as the beach. It was beautiful and barren, Bee thought. In the distance, he could make out pine trees; stretching up towards the sky in gnarly and odd shapes, many of them tilted over.

Most likely and island, ridden hard by storms, Bee mused.

Bee turned his attention back towards his mission. It was most likely that he would find another relic here, somewhere.

He made his way slowly through the moorland, trekking along the ridges of endless dunes. He quickly grew tired of looking at the same landscape and walking through the prickly heather. Bee turned to move back up over the dunes, so he could walk on the sand instead, but as he turned, he noticed the sound of an engine revving, not too far from his position.

Bee immediately felt his attention and senses sharpen, and he went down on his chassis and elbow joints so he could carefully crawl up over the nearest dune. His helm soon popped up over the sand and vegetation and he looked down onto the beach, seeing a familiar red and white muscle-car race across it.

Knockout…

Bee’s spark fluttered uncontrollably for a mere second, knee-joints feeling weak under his weight.

Knockout was obviously having a field day, though he didn’t seem like his usual self. Bee witnessed the decepticon turn abruptly towards the water’s edge, splashing salt water in every direction, then race back out on the firmer sand and back out to the water again as he went along the beach.

Bee knew that Knockout was after the same thing that he was, but there was something about seeing Knockout so carefree and playful. Something that made Bee smile and shiver at the same time.

Bee would barely admit it to himself and he would never dream of telling anyone about his unrequited crush on the decepticon medic A.K.A Knockout, which he had kept a secret for many months now.

It had started so innocently, once, when he had raced the selfish sports car. Jack needed Arcee as a means to impress a human girl, but with Arcee refusing to help him, Bee had offered to go in her stead. Though the situation turned somewhat dicey and Knockout had captured Jack’s rival, as a bargaining chip for Megatron, Bee still remembered Knockout’s elegant aft and cocky remarks as they raced beside each other, which in turn had “short-circuited” something in Bumblebee’s software and hit a soft spot, and that was just in Knockout’s vehicle-mode…

Bee wondered if this thing, this so-called crush, was even a crush anymore. As time passed, infatuation seemed more fitting.

Bee had no idea how he could be so infatuated with a decepticon, and to be perfectly honest, he was very ashamed of it. It was so past the line that the line had become an almost invisible blur in the distance. Whenever he and Knockout fought each other on the battlefield, he had been careful not to hurt him. He wondered as well, if any of the others had ever caught wind of his infatuation because of that, but there was no way to know for sure.

Bee imagined Knockout speaking in his very inviting and sensual voice and he tried hard not to hit himself in the head with liking him as much as he did. How could he be so solidly infatuated with someone that narcissistic and shallow?

There had been something about Knockout’s playfulness and lightheartedness that captured Bee when they raced and when they had fought one another. Like… as if Knockout was one of those puppies he had seen on TV back at the base. A puppy that would be loyal and warm towards him as long as he treated it right.

Bee knew deep down that he should never allow himself to be fooled by that oversimplified assumption. Knockout made a fierce opponent and he would not hesitate to bite Bee’s head off were he given that chance. Still, he couldn’t help but feel that there was a kindred spirit hidden in that red and white decepticon.

Bee was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts, as Knockout seemed to straighten to his task and stopped his fooling around, speeding up in a straight line further down the beach.

Bee decided to follow Knockout. He jumped down the dune he was hiding behind and transformed, speeding up as fast as he could. It was only a matter of time before Knockout would know Bee was on his tail.

 

~ • ~

 

Knockout was in an extraordinary mood. He was in such a good mood that the thought of wet sand etching its way into every crevice and nook was no problem. It was nothing a good cleaning and rotary buffing couldn’t fix.

He was racing along this Primusforsaken beach in no-man’s-land, looking for yet another one of those relics that his ever so wrathful leader had acquired upon him to fetch. What had his exact words been? _If you show up empty-handed, I will personally rip out your spine and mount it above my berth as decoration._

Knockout shuddered at the thought. Of course, that was nothing new.

Big M. never did learn what it meant to relax and let the scenery and speed take the mind away to new and thrilling heights. This, was what it was all about, being outside again, feeling that finally Megatron had realized... again… that he was worthy of fetching one of those fancy Cybertron toys for his war on the autobots.

Especially this present scenery was a jewel to behold. Green, glittering ocean as far as the optics could see, and firm white sand underneath his wheels. What more could the most attractive sports car wish for as a racetrack. Knockout chuckled inwardly. It was almost like one of those fleshling commercials he had seen on their network. If there was anything those humans were good at, it was creating gorgeous looking ground vehicles.

Knockout sped up even more as he imagined himself as the attraction in one of those human commercials and having everyone in awe of his amazing finish.

Suddenly he noticed someone behind him, closing in on him, through his rear-view mirror.

Bumblebee…

There was no mistaking that black and yellow.

Well, well. If it wasn’t his silent rival. Knockout had always found Bumblebee to be the best looking of all the autobots, thus he wanted him to be his rival, of course also because he too, was a muscle car worth his energon, AND because that mech seemed so easy to rile up. A memory flashed by Knockout’s optics as he remembered Bumblebee without his T-cog, racing after him with such determination on that ancient scrapheap of a truck. What a glorious sight that was.

Knockout chuckled darkly, happy that it was Bumblebee on his tail. This would surely be fun. He eased on his speed, to let the Camaro catch up with him.

Bumblebee was on Knockout’s side in a heartbeat. Knockout sensed that the young scout had no idea what he wanted to do once he had caught up with him, but Knockout knew, he wanted to tease him badly.

“About time we had a go again, and what better place than here! This place is almost as charming as I am.”

Bumblebee remained silent.

“Oh yeah, I forgot, you’re the strong, silent type, right? Never mind then, let’s see who gets to the relic first shall we?”

“If I have to fight you for it, so be it” Bumblebee responded with a cocky hint to his tone.

Shocked, Knockout stammered, “w-wait, you speak now? Since when?”

“Since I beat your aft in that midnight race back in Nevada.”

“Tsk! That mouth on you. You won’t be so cocky after I bury your face in the sand.”

Knockout barely admitted to himself that he felt a tingling shiver, after hearing Bumblebee’s voice for the first time; it was quite sexy, in fact.

“Then let’s dance pretty, you and I” Knockout challenged.

“You got it” Bumblebee responded with confidence.

The two cars accelerated close to their highest possible speed, wet sand cascading behind their spinning wheels, locked next to each other in a race where neither would admit defeat.

Oh, what a thrill it was to race like this, Knockout would give anything to have a fellow decepticon who adored racing as much as he did, but he had to admit, this black and yellow autobot certainly gave him a run for his energon. It was magnificent. Knockout eased into the moment, enjoying every second.

It was not long before Knockout suddenly got a ping on his dashboard, making him brake harshly. Bumblebee did the same.

They both came to a stop. Before them, close to a huge dune, half buried in the sand was the remains of a cybertronian spaceship.

Both Knockout and Bumblebee transformed, their engines buzzing with heat. They stared intently at the lost ship before them. Knockout then turned his helm toward the scout next to him, his red optics glaring mischievously and with a smirk burning on his mouth plating.

“The fun ends here autobot.”


	2. "We?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bumblebee and Knockout find more than they bargained for on the crashed cybertronian vessel.

Bumblebee, taken aback by finding the crashed ship on the middle of the beach, only just accomplished to ready his cannon, as Knockout put his game face on.

Knockout had been hiding his energon prod behind his back and immediately lashed out at Bumblebee with it, hoping to catch him off guard, but Bee was ready. In the last second Bee retracted his cannon, not wanting to hurt his opponent.

Bee jumped elegantly to the side to avoid Knockout’s attack, backing away several strides to put distance between them. He could not remember once, when he had been alone with Knockout like this, since… since a certain embarrassing incident.

His mind raged, how could he pacify Knockout without damaging him? That probably wasn’t possible.

Knockout charged towards Bee with a battle cry, trying his best to hit a soft spot on the scout’s plating with his energon prod. Bee was too agile and avoided his every attack, like a trained cat, even though Knockout was just as good with his energon prod.

Something in Knockout’s red optics changed all of a sudden and he stopped his onslaught of attacks. Bee was crouched on the ground, ready for a new wave of strikes.

“Come on! Attack me already! What are you waiting for?” The annoyance in Knockout’s voice was evident. His next words seethed with anger. “Tsk… I don’t have all day to play cat and mouse. I have. A. Deadline! Literally!”

Bee stood up from his crouched position, not entirely sure how to respond to Knockout.

“I can’t hurt you…”

A look of surprise broke out on Knockout’s face plating. “What… you can’t, hurt me? What kind of nonsense is that?” Knockout placed his energon prod firmly in the sand and then his expression shifted from surprise into a knowing smirk. “Ahh I see now, it’s a new autobot thing. I get it.” Knockout chuckled, while not buying into it. He placed a firm hold on his weapon and took a battle stance again. “This is one decepticon you’re not fooling.”

Bumblebee raised his servos protectively. “No, it’s just me.”

Knockout stared perplexed at Bumblebee, with no clue about what he meant. “Stop playing games with me. It’s infuriating!”

“I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t let you have the relic either, so, I’m sorry.” Without warning, Bumblebee charged forward in a lunge, somersaulted towards Knockout, and propelled himself upwards, upper-cutting Knockout’s jaw with grim force.

Knockout didn’t see it coming. He fell backwards, his fall only cushioned by the wet sand under him. The prod fell out of his servos and landed not too far from him.

Bee towered above his opponent and looked down on Knockout with concern, but it was clear that he had only been… well, knocked out. Bee internally apologized. His abdomen ached a bit from hitting his… whatever he was, with such brute force, but he saw no other way around it. He did deserve it, just a little bit, Bee justified.

Bee then turned to face the cybertronian spaceship awaiting further discovery.

He had nearly made it to the vessel doors, before he heard an angry engine rev up behind him. Bee barely finished his thought – _scrap_.

Knockout smashed into Bee from the side in vehicle mode, flinging him violently up in the air from the force, and then he landed, with his back on the ground, hard.

All Bee could see at that moment was blackness, veiling itself over his consciousness, as he struggled to stay alert. A throbbing pain pulsated from within his left side, but it could be worse, he knew, with a blow like that.

One of Knockout’s heavy pedes suddenly started crushing down on Bee’s chassis.

“And stay down, will you?” Knockout crowed.

The pressure on Bee’s chassis seized and he sensed Knockout leave his vicinity. Bee wondered why Knockout had not finished him while he had the chance, while he lay there stunned. Bee turned his head in the direction of the ship, almost too dizzy and dazed to make out Knockout’s elegant frame walking towards it. The blackness grew so very close to taking Bee’s consciousness away.

 

~ • ~

 

Knockout’s excellent mood had evaporated along with Bumblebee’s attempt at confounding him. Who did he think he was that whelp?

Knockout had just entered the cybertronian vessel, leaving the still alive autobot behind. Why did he spare him anyway? Annoyance crept up through Knockout’s spine. This turned out to be a bad day after all.

Knockout gingerly reassured himself that his jaw was still intact, and then made his way through the main corridor of the ship, hoping he would not find any cybertronian corpses along his way. He entered one of the bigger compartments, noticing a huge round container with something in it.

“Hmm, what do we have here?” Knockout mused. He trailed a pair of silvery digits across the thick glass surface of the container, not quite able to make out what was floating around in that dark, yellowy fluid. He quickly lost interest, thinking that it certainly wasn’t the relic he was looking for. He left the bigger compartment and started searching through the other areas of the ship that could contain the relic, but it was too dark to make out much. Knockout half stumbled through the darkness until he found the main control panel of the ship and was able to turn on the ship’s basic functions. After all this time, it was still not entirely devoid of energon. Knockout was pleased.

The lights turned on everywhere around the ship. Knockout made way through the smaller chambers once again and he soon found the relic container, stowed away in a barely concealed energon crate. He smirked, pleased with himself. He was about to try to call in Soundwave for a ground bridge, but a noise not far from him made him freeze on the spot. He spun around and heard the distinct sound of glass shattering. Every fiber of his cybertronian being, told him to run, but it was too late, as he realized what kind of trouble he was in. Whatever had been sealed shut inside the huge container had broken out, as the ship’s basic and most crucial functions had come online.

Oh, scrap…

Knockout hurried out to the main corridor to find a way of escape, only to be tail whacked by a huge beast almost filling out the whole width of the corridor. Knockout smashed into the wall with a metallic, screeching sound. He quickly tried to regain his composure and to hold on to the relic. The huge beast faced away from Knockout and was not yet aware of his presence. Knockout knew his only escape was to squeeze between the wall and the beast. Knockout went for it and barely scraped himself out on the other side. Full of terror he ran the last length of the spaceship, barely escaping a lashing claw from the beast and jumped outside, without looking back and sealing the vessel doors shut.

Knockout had just made it outside safely before he turned around and faced Bumblebee standing right in front of him, cannon raised and ready to fire, with a very serious expression on his faceplate.

“No! Wait. Listen! We have a big problem and it’s very angry.”

Bumblebee lowered his weapon and looked at Knockout quizzically.

“We?”

Suddenly, from the inside, a huge dent in the vessel doors appeared with a heavy sounding clonk, and then another one and another one.

Bumblebee’s eyes widened. “Scrap…”

“Drive!” Knockout shouted.

They both turned and transformed on the spot, accelerating fast forward, away from the ship. They heard the heavy metallic and violent unhinging of the vessel doors as they were blasted apart by force. A deafening screech erupted from behind the two bots as they drove for their lives, knowing they were outmatched. It was not long before a huge shadow drew closer overhead of the two muscle cars.

“Primus, it just had to have wings!” Knockout cried out.

“Knockout! Our only chance is to be ground bridged out of here. Request one!”

Under any other circumstance, Knockout would have been furious to be ordered around by an autobot, but there was no time to feel offended.

“Uh, Right!”

_""Soundwave, requesting a ground bridge at my coordinates, and please, make it snappy, or a flying beast will literally tear me into spare parts. I have the relic for Megatron.""  
_

A huge wave of flames suddenly scorched the sand very close to the two cars, making them feel the immense heat from the beast’s fire attack.

“It breathes fire too? You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Have they responded to you yet?” Bumblebee maneuvered flawlessly away from another one of the beast’s flame waves.

“No. I’m getting no response.”

_""Soundwave, anyone home? A ground bridge would be VERY nice right about now.""  
_

Knockout barely managed to dodge the beast’s claws as it tried to catch and crush him.

“Something’s wrong,” Knockout stated. 

Bumblebee’s growing worry was unmistakable, “something must have happened back at the ship, I don’t know, it might have been a short range EMP.” Bumblebee was now the one who barely escaped the beast’s claws. “It’s time for plan B.”

Knockout’s voice was full of confusion, “plan B?”

“When I say go, you hit the brakes and you go as fast as you can directly north until you get to the trees, you can’t drive through that landscape beyond the dunes, but you can run.”

Knockout understood Bumblebee’s words, but it was as if they were not quite seeping all the way through his processor. An autobot, his rival, was telling him how to survive. He was looking out for a decepticon, one of his sworn enemies. Knockout was not ready to grasp the reality of those words, instead, a horrible dread grew within him. He felt a need to know what was going to happen to Bumblebee. “What about you?” Knockout managed to ask as they sped along the beach at their top speed to escape the flames and claws of the huge beast.

“I’ll be right behind you,” Bumblebee answered in a shout, “go now!”

Knockout slammed the brakes to the metal and turned sharply towards the big dunes. He transformed and ran as fast as his pedes could carry him up over the sandy top and continued out through the dark moorland landscape. He looked nervously for the beast in the sky, he shortly heard its deafening screech not far from his position.

After some time Knockout finally made it to the initial line of a forest of steel grey and fern green pine trees. Now he saw the obvious reason why Bumblebee wanted him to go there. The forest provided the perfect cover from beastly eyes in the sky, unless said beast chose to burn the whole forest down.

Knockout sat down at the edge of the forest and kept a sharp look out for Bumblebee. It did not take long for the hardened and effective scout to appear.

“What took you so long? I was…” Knockout caught himself just before he said aloud that he was a bit worried.

A confident smile appeared on Bumblebee’s faceplate. “I blasted the thing with a grenade. Thank Primus for Wheeljack,” Bumblebee chuckled. “I dragged it further down the beach to get it as far away from this area as possible.”

Knockout lifted an optic ridge. “So… it’s offline?”

Bumblebee shrugged. “Well, no… but I blinded it long enough to escape here.”

“You hit it with a grenade and nothing happened?” Knockout’s servos went up to his helm in frustration.

“I’m afraid not, I wonder what that thing is; it’s freakishly strong and sturdy. You saw how it broke through that door as if it was nothing… I have a feeling it’s connected to the relic you took with you. Maybe it was supposed to guard it.”

“I don’t care one bit what it was supposed to do, the only thing I care about is how I…” Knockout suddenly hesitated. “How we get out of this alive…”

Bumblebee’s calm gaze lingered on Knockout. “We have to figure something out, but as long as it’s getting dark and there’s no connection to the warship, there’s not much we can do at all. If that beast is really guarding this relic, I imagine it won’t stop until it’s found us.”

Knockout ex-vented with a groan, “gee, that sure is comforting.”

Bumblebee went to sit down next to Knockout in the growing darkness. At least they had plenty of moonlight and a clear starry sky to their advantage.

Knockout had never performed well when his life was in serious danger, he knew that perfectly well. He became even more aware of it as he sat beside this brave and fearless young autobot. He could not help but feel a growing admiration for Bumblebee, the bot who had put his own metal on the line to save him. No decepticon would ever do the same for him.

Knockout suddenly realized something. He looked at Bumblebee, with calm and searching red optics glowing softly in the dark, in contrast to Bumblebee’s light blue.

“You said… earlier.”

“…Yeah?”

“You said, as long as there is no connection to the warship. What did you mean by that? Couldn’t you get through either?”

Bumblebee went silent. He started fidgeting with some sand stuck between the wedges of his pedes.

“Well spit it out.”

“I… I did get through.”

Knockout’s optics widened slightly. “And you didn’t, request a ground bridge. Why?”

Again, Bumblebee hesitated with answering. It looked like he was thinking hard on what to say.

“I didn’t want to leave you behind.”

Knockout stared at Bumblebee in silence, unwilling to let the words fluster him.

An awkward silence fell between the two bots, neither knowing what to say to the other. Knockout felt the weight of Bumblebee’s words slowly sink in; if he did not know better he would say Bumblebee cared more for him than he let on, but that was absurd. This autobot was brave and resolute; he could just come out and say it, if that was how he felt.

Knockout glanced towards Bumblebee’s face, trailing optics over his mostly black and yellow frame as he went. He had to admit, that Bumblebee was one good-looking bot, and had he been a decepticon, Knockout would probably have been all over him metacycles ago. It had been a long time since he’d been intimate with anyone, and he hadn’t thought about interfacing for a long time, but, Primus, how he loved a good frag.

Knockout had to repress the sudden urge to just grab Bumblebee and lavish him with kisses and affectionate bites.

He noticed suddenly that Bumblebee looked uncomfortable and that he tried to stand up, but winced in pain and sat back down.

“What’s wrong?” Knockout asked with calm and clinical concern.

Bee responded with a moan. “You forgot already?”

“Oh, uh… yes about that.”

Knockout moved closer to Bumblebee. “Let me have a look at it, I’m an excellent doctor.”

“It’s nothing, just a full frontal hit by decepticon,” Bumblebee joked, in spite of his aching side.

Knockout could not help but smirk. “As the fleshlings say, I guess we’re even now.”

Bumblebee gave a light chuckle.

“I guess so.”

 

~ • ~

 

Bee’s aching side sent ripples of pain through his chassis and he could not help but clutch the spot where Knockout had hit him, grille first. There was only so much time he had been able to run on through a rush of energon when he and Knockout were in danger.

Knockout’s smirk had not disappeared as he moved closer to Bumblebee, looking as if he was lost in a funny thought. He gently removed Bee’s servo from his side to look at the damage; only, there was not much to see. Knockout’s servo gently touched Bee’s side and it undeniably sent shivers up through Bee’s frame, in spite of the pain. He closed his optics for just a second, relishing the touch for as long as it lasted.

Knockout took his servo back. “The damage is clearly internal, but it doesn’t seem that bad, it will most likely just hurt for a while… we could go back to the spaceship to see if it has a medical station and supplies. I could fix you up that way.”

“Thanks, but, I will deal with it, until both of us can get back to our bases. A night’s recharge should ease the pain.”

“Very well.”

The two bots sat next to each other in silence, as the last remains of daylight were dying out. Everything was very quiet for a while, only the rustling of vegetation was audible in the dusk. After a long time of silence, Bumblebee spoke.

“We should power down for the night. I doubt the beast will come looking for us here.”

Knockout shifted his position, red optics calmly looking back at the bot next to him. “We err, we should… I just wanted to say…”

Bumblebee waited for words that did not come. “…What?”

“Thank you, for… making sure I made it.”

Bumblebee felt his spark flutter with happiness at hearing Knockout’s words. He never thought he would bear witness to a decepticon’s gratefulness like that, and then Knockout’s at that.

“You’re welcome… Knockout.”

Knockout smiled faintly, before his optic ridges lifted in skepticism and he clutched the relic container just a bit closer to his chassis. “If you try anything funny while I-“

“I won’t, don’t worry about that, you have my word,” Bumblebee cut him off. “We might as well stick together…” Bumblebee’s voice softened. “We… well we should work together. What do you say?”

Knockout searched Bumblebee’s optics for any hint of dishonesty and found none. “I guess, for the time being it would be beneficial for the both of us, but don’t try anything with me. When this is over we are back to being decepticon and autobot.”

Bumblebee tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. “Yeah, of course.”

With those words, both bots soon fell into a dreamless recharge as the dark of the night enveloped them.


	3. On Warm Sand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another encounter with the beast brings Bumblebee and Knockout ever closer together. What happens when Knockout decides to say slaggit-all?

Bumblebee woke to an unfamiliar feeling of something draped over him. His optics went online sleepily and the first thing he saw was Knockout’s arm resting on his chassis, his body close to his own. Bee blinked in surprise. He moved a little bit and that was enough to wake the red mech.

Knockout’s optics powered online suddenly, immediately realizing where his arm was. He sat up abruptly, arm going behind his neck in embarrassment.

“Uhh…” Knockout’s expression was rather sheepish.

Bee stood up, just as stupefied. “Shall we, err, get out of here?”

“Yeah…”

Knockout got up as well; he immediately searched the sky for the beast, happy that all he saw was scattered clouds hanging in a clear blue sky.

Knockout glanced at Bee’s chassis a short moment. “How’s your side today?”

A little surprised by Knockout’s question, Bee answered, “thanks, it’s better now.”

Bee stole a look at the relic container that Knockout held in his arms. “Whatever relic is inside, it might be able to help us defeat that thing.”

Knockout tensed. “Who says we have to defeat it? Why not just go back to that ship, and there fix whatever frequency transmitter problem I have and we’ll both be on our way?”

Bee’s black servo went to his chin in pondering. “You have a point; let’s just hope the beast doesn’t find us before we get there.”

Bee started to move in the direction of the beach, but then he hesitated. He had not thought much about the relic itself, what was he going to do when he and Knockout were to separate? Another relic in the hands of the decepticons, he should not by any means allow that to happen, but what could he do, call for backup?

All Bee wanted now was to keep Knockout safe from that beast lurking around for them. Arcee and Bulk would not hesitate to leave Knockout behind to fend for himself, and he would have to force the relic out of Knockout’s servos, with Bee just having achieved a tiny sense of trust between them.

Bee felt dreadfully torn between his responsibility and his feelings. Only a fool would choose his enemy over his comrades’ trust. He felt a sense of shame creeping up on him. It was selfish, to want to keep Knockout amicable.

Knockout abruptly pulled Bee out of his thought stream. “Coming or what?”

“Uh, yeah.”

The two bots walked side by side, eager to get to the ship as fast as possible. They made it out to the beach after a while, happy that they finally reached terrain they could drive through with ease.

Bee felt saddened that his time with Knockout would end soon, in spite of being eager to get away from the desolate island and he wondered how much time they had left together before they once again were enemies.

 

~ • ~

 

Knockout’s mood brightened as they drove down the beach and he sighed internally, relieved to be close to the spaceship once again. He lightheartedly shared his thoughts with Bumblebee.

“I can’t wait to get back and clean myself up; this ordeal has been dreadful on my paintjob. I’m all… matted.”

“We’re not there just yet. Let’s hope we get there home free.”

Bumblebee had barely finished his sentence before the huge beast jumped out from behind a dune, as if it had been waiting for them. Knockout was the first to notice it.

“Scrap! Look out!”

What happened in the split second after shocked both bots. The huge beast transformed midair as it jumped toward them, smashing violently into Knockout in his vehicle mode. Knockout was thrown through the air by the force of the blow. He too transformed midair, the relic container slipping out of his servos and landed close to the water’s edge, out of sight and reach.

The huge and beastly bot now towered over Knockout, pinning him to the ground immediately as he hit the sand. The bot’s eyes glowed a bright yellow, menacingly and threateningly. His deep voice blasted Knockout’s audials. “Where is it?”

Terror spread across Knockout’s faceplate as he felt the bot’s heavy pressure on his arms. “Where, where is what?”

“Don’t lie to me!”

Knockout only just glimpsed a figure closing in on his assailant from behind. Bumblebee fired away at the beast, hitting it in the back with his blue cannon shots, he then elegantly jumped up on top of the beast, clutching on to it as someone would a rodeo bull. The beast let go of Knockout and tried to swat off his much smaller attacker. Furious, the beast twirled around itself, Bumblebee did his best to blind it, gripping tightly around its neck, jamming digits across its eyes. It was not long before the beast got a hold of Bumblebee and yanked him off its back. With a firm grip on Bumblebee’s one leg it hammered him mercilessly into the sand. The beast’s big claws then circled around Bumblebee’s neck.

“You little insect” the beast seethed.

The beast clenched harder around Bumblebee’s throat, threatening to shatter his neck. Bumblebee resisted, but he was quickly losing the fight.

What happened next occurred as if in a blink of an eye.

Above him, the beast suddenly froze… Literally. A thick layer of ice covered the huge body, now silent and unmoving.

Shocked, Bumblebee wriggled out of the beast’s icy grasp and scooted backwards, only half believing his optics. He turned his helm in disbelief to find Knockout standing not far from him, with a long dark-blue rod in his servos, a smug smirk plastered on his face.

“Oh I just _love_ this thing already.” Knockout gracefully twirled the rod around for a moment.

Bumblebee’s expression softened to a grin. “The relic!”

“Indeed. It is a Hydro Accelerator… Have to admit you were right, it did come in handy.”

Bumblebee smiled and stood up. “Thanks I… I thought you would leave me for scrap.”

Knockout smiled quirkily. “Well I’m not completely without a code you know.”

Bumblebee nodded thankfully. “Oh right, something like I scratch your back, you scratch mine?"

Knockout rolled his optics, not wanting to admit he actually once said those words out aloud in a situation. “Yeah, something like that.” He then glanced up at the frozen beast in front of them. “Now I don’t know about you, but I doubt the freezing effect is permanent, so we better get out of here.”

“Yeah.” Bumblebee shuddered. “I didn’t think it could transform like that, though it does make sense. It’s got to be cybertronian.”

“Yes it has to be, it’s definitely ancient… and ugly.”

Bumblebee turned. “Agreed, let’s go.”

 

~ • ~

 

The two bots transformed and drove towards the remains of the spaceship that they could just make out in the distance. They quickly came to a halt not far from the vessel and transformed back into robot mode.

The sun was rising on the blue sky and the waves had turned from dark-green to bright turquoise as the day hours began. Rays pleasantly warmed the white sand and the vegetation on the dunes nodded softly in the background.

Bee felt a growing knot inside his abdomen in spite of the pleasantly warm surroundings. It would only be moments now, and then his and Knockout’s strange little adventure together would be over.

Bee stopped in his tracks, with Knockout continuing to move forward towards the ship. Knockout soon realized that Bumblebee was not following him anymore. He turned with a quizzical look on his face. “Noticed a grain of sand darker than others?” Knockout taunted.

Bumblebee did not answer. He just stood there silently, optics pinned to the ground, with an odd look of determination on his face.

“…Well?” Knockout seemed to be growing impatient. “Come on, what’s up with you?”

“Knockout…” Bee lifted his helm to look into Knockout’s red optics. “I like you… I have feelings for you. I don’t know where they came from or what they mean, I just do.”

Bee expected Knockout to laugh right in his face, but contrary to his expectations, Knockout stared calmly right into his optics without flinching. A silence filled with anticipation fell between them. Knockout continued to stare, until he smirked. “Slaggit, I knew there was a reason I liked you as my rival.”

Bee blinked in surprise, “Rival?”

Knockout suddenly closed the distance between them in two fast strides. “Just shut up and frag me.”

Bee’s optics widened in surprise as Knockout placed a servo behind his back and pressed his lips on Bee’s own. The sensation and shock rushed over Bumblebee in one big strong wave, and he groaned from the wonderful and surprising pressure of Knockout’s lips. He then felt Knockout’s glossa slick over his bottom lip, as if asking for permission to enter his mouth. Bee obliged and parted his lip plates, his knee-joints half-buckling from the amazing wet and warm feeling. Bee happily reciprocated.

Bee lost himself in the moment and felt his engine rev up in excitement and his cooling fans whirring on. He had fantasised about this moment so many times and now there he was, locked with Knockout in the most heated glossa-kiss he had ever had in his life.

A big smirk stretched itself over Knockout’s face as they finally parted. “You sure… _kiss_ well. For an autobot.”

Bumblebee felt his spark flutter excitedly from the warm compliment. “You’re certainly not bad either.” Bee grabbed Knockout’s aft in additional response with one servo, ran his blunt digits playfully over Knockout’s chassis with the other and started kissing his most visible neck cables.

Growing lust started to darken Knockout’s optics as he felt the scout’s mouth nibble and kiss his sensitive spots. He moaned into the pleasure. “I just realized,” he panted, “how badly I want you to frag me”.

Bee smirked into his kisses. “Trust me…” His servo went down to rest at Knockout’s heated interface panel, “all I want to do right now is frag you.” Bee pressed himself gently against Knockout’s chassis, leaning in for another fierce kiss. Knockout hungrily returned the pressure, barely paying attention to the lubricant pooling up inside his panel. Suddenly Bee’s gentle assault became too much and Knockout tumbled backwards from the dominant pressure, sending him down on his back, with the warm sand as a pleasant foundation under him. Bumblebee followed.

Knockout trailed digits across Bee’s neck and back, caressing every sensitive cable and seam he could find, eagerly awaiting his next move as Bee moved on top of him.

Bee’s servo went down to Knockout’s interface panel, letting his palm grind against the heated surface. “Open for me,” Bee pleaded with longing in his voice.

“Right to the main act, I like it… But you have to say please… ah!” Knockout teased, smiling lecherously and gasping as Bumblebee playfully bit his bottom lip.

“C’mon Knockout, don’t be such a tease.” impatience dragged over Bee’s words, his optic-lids drooping slightly with lust.

Knockout smirked into Bee’s affectionate and impatient kiss. “I love it when you say my name like that… just ask me for it, just once.” Knockout was obviously enjoying himself.

“Please… Knockout.” Bee decided to play by Knockout’s rules that once. Surely, there was only little Knockout could control from that point on.

Just as Bee finished his sentence, Knockout’s valve panel clicked open. Bright blue lubricant started dripping down Knockout’s thighs, making Bee even hotter by the sight and Bee eagerly, but carefully slid two blunt digits inside Knockout’s valve, to stretch him and to search for sensitive nodes. Knockout gasped in satisfaction and let his knee joints buckle slightly by the stimulation. “Don’t, ah! Don’t bother with that. I want to feel your spike, right now,” Knockout panted through gritted dentas, his own sudden impatience evident in his voice. Both bots were barely able to restrain themselves, being overly interface hungry.

“Who’s the impatient one now?” Bee grinned.

“Oh shut up that pretty mouth of yours and get on with it.” There was no annoyance to detect in Knockout’s words, only lustfulness and affection.

Bee felt the fierce heat and arousal emanating from his own interface panel and it slid open with a snap, presenting his pulsating spike. Knockout looked hungrily at Bee’s black accessory, decorated with throbbing blue biolights, taking in every ounce of the sight. “Well, well, that’s a handsome piece of equipment you’ve got there,” Knockout purred.

Bee smiled, hot exhilaration running through his being like wildfire by hearing Knockout’s sensual voice. “And it’s just for you…” Bee cooed. “How do you… want it?”

Bee wanted to please his partner so badly and he was anxious to do just what Knockout wanted him to, mainly because it was Knockout writhing beneath him, but he would rather be eaten by scraplets than admit that to him.

“I don’t care; just let me see that face of yours.”

A lustful grin stole across Bee’s faceplate as he aligned his heated body with Knockout’s and pressed the tip of his spike against Knockout’s wet valve opening. Knockout grabbed Bee’s upper arms, bracing himself for what was coming next and he moaned deeply as Bee carefully pushed into him.

“Primus!” Knockout exclaimed.

Bee’s whole body ached and shivered with pleasure as he felt Knockout’s inner walls convulse around his spike for the first time. “Oh Knockout…” Bee managed to growl. “You feel so good.”

Knockout closed his optics, letting the pleasure flow over him in waves. Bee’s initial thrusts were very gentle, as if he was afraid to hurt Knockout. Truth was that Bee had pictured tem together interfacing so many times he was hesitant to do whatever his spark desired. It was a precious moment he wanted to treat with care, but Knockout was quick to sense that Bee was holding back.

Knockout suddenly tipped Bee’s chin and looked deeply into his blue optics. “Did you want to frag me or not? You don’t have to hold back you know,” Knockout smirked with a certain reassurance.

With that, Bee felt his want of caution drop from his shoulder plates like a heavy stone. “Sorry.” Bee hungrily pulled Knockout in for a kiss and thrust once harshly to show that now, he was serious.

Knockout gasped into Bee’s kiss, relishing the delicious feeling of the scout’s spike. “Now that’s more like it.” Knockout then locked his pedes behind Bee’s back, so Bee could push in as far as possible.

“You like it like this?” Bee asked, pinning Knockout’s servos over his helm, making Knockout smirk in satisfaction.

“Exactly like that. I’m versatile, but I love a little mech-handling.”

Bee smirked back, watching Knockout dig his hips deeper into the sand, while Bee grinded his own against him.

“Oh slaggit! Yes!” Knockout exclaimed. His back arched as Bee’s thrusts hit the ceiling nodes in his valve.

Bee let all his energy loose, not able to restrain himself any longer. Waves of pleasure overpowered him every time his hips thrust forward. Bee passionately pulled in Knockout for a kiss, assaulting Knockout’s mouth with the tip of his glossa. Oh, how he loved the amazing feeling of Knockout’s mouth. Bee was a sucker for kissing, that way showing his partner how much he cared and because of the simple enjoyment.

Something suddenly seemed to cross Knockout’s mind and he violently pushed Bee back a little, enough to make Bee stop in wonderment. Knockout pushed Bee back even further, so Bee was sitting on his aft, and then Knockout straddled the confused scout. Bee looked with confusion up at Knockout.

“What’s…?”

Knockout then spoke with a new vehemence that surprised Bee, but made him, if possible, even hotter for the red mech straddling him. “I can’t believe I let an autobot dominate me, I should be ashamed” Knockout smiled darkly and lazily ran his index-digit over Bee’s faceplate. “But for some reason, I just don’t care… Maybe it’s because, you frag really well for such a young mech.” Knockout teasingly lowered himself over the tip of Bumblebee’s still throbbing spike. “But I can’t let you have all the fun now can I?” he purred.

Bee anxiously looked up into Knockout’s optics, uncertain about what to do now, he felt that he was about to burst from Knockout’s teasing, he wanted to feel the tightness of his delicious valve again. “Knockout, enough with the teasing,” Bee pleaded. Bee tried to pull in Knockout for yet another kiss when finally, without warning, Knockout let himself drop onto Bee’s spike, and he started to move up and down in a heavy pace, slowly upping the speed.

“Oh, OH frag!” Bee almost shouted. The sensation from the new position felt so good that Bee grabbed a firm hold on Knockout’s chest plate and placed a desperate servo on Knockout’s back. Knockout steadily upped the pace. He eagerly took in Bee’s heavy moans and growls, evidently enjoying that he was now the one in control and he hungrily eyed Bee’s every facial expression with self-satisfaction. Knockout then leaned in, carefully reaching Bee’s audials. “I could just eat up every little bit of you.” Knockout looked deeply into Bee’s light blue optics, while he slowed down his pace excruciatingly, driving the mech under him mad. Knockout smirked as Bee writhed under him, relishing every second. Knockout apparently was very good with knowing when to clench his inner walls, when not to, and when to up the pace, for his partner to go wild.

Bee’s back started to arch involuntarily from the white hot pleasure shooting through his frame and he gripped around Knockout’s frame even tighter than before. A shuddering voice reached Knockout’s audials, “Knockout… I can’t, take much… more.”

Knockout purred, “I’m not slowing down now.”

“Slaggit!” Bee cursed and pulled Knockout down toward him in a heated kiss, wanting to kiss him before his overload would crash through him and rightfully so, the moment their lips parted, Bee gritted his dentas and he tensed up as his overload shot through him like fireworks.

Bee let the last overload spasms flow out of his system before he ex-vented and looked up into Knockout’s optics. Knockout had an extremely satisfied look on his face. “Oh I know I’m good,” Knockout said with overconfidence dripping from his every word.

Bee smirked back at him in response. “That was…” Bee searched for words to describe what had just happened between them, feeling overly aware that Knockout had not overloaded yet.

Bee pulled Knockout down into another kiss, this time tender and sweet.

“What’s with you and the kissing? I’ve never interfaced with anyone before who was so into my mouth…” A weird expression crept over Knockout’s faceplate, as if he just regretted his words. “I mean uh, not that I don’t like it, it’s… actually…. very nice… ahem.”

Bee grinned with a foolish look on his face. “I just… can’t get enough of your mouth, or… the rest of you. I want to make you feel what I just felt. Please, let me… reciprocate.”

Bee tentatively reached for Knockout’s chassis, he didn’t feel quite ready to frag again, with his spike still sensitive from his recent overload, but he wanted to please Knockout so badly and make him feel as good as he had just felt. Bee knew that it wouldn’t be long before he was ready to go again, if Knockout wanted to. He so wished he would, Bee hated the thought of leaving Knockout unsatisfied.

Knockout greedily pulled Bee towards himself, so they were seeing eye to eye. “I knew I wouldn’t have to ask,” Knockout smiled with mischief evident on his lips. Bee hungrily kissed Knockout again, his servo going down toward Knockout’s interface panel.

Suddenly a voice on Bee’s comm link went through loud and clear, loud enough for both mechs to hear it.

_“”Bee, are you there? Please respond. Raf is constantly pestering me, asking why you haven’t gotten back yet and frankly I’m starting to get worried too.””_

It was Arcee’s voice.

Both Bee’s and Knockout’s optics widened in surprise. Only a second passed before Arcee continued.

_““Bee, I know something is wrong, maybe you’re lying hurt somewhere with faulty equipment. We’re coming to get you.””_

Bee’s optics widened even more, feeling panic spread through his frame instead of arousal. He looked at Knockout with a look that said I’m-sorry and quickly decided to respond to Arcee.

_“”Arcee, I’m here. Don’t worry, I’m coming back real soon. I got holed up here a little longer than I expected. Tell Raf to take it easy and that I’ll see him soon.””_

_“”It’s good to hear your voice Bee, and roger that. Call me if you need backup.””_

A moment of awkward silence settled between Bee and Knockout. Bee searched Knockout’s optics for hints about what he might be thinking, but he couldn’t tell what was on his mind. Bee decided to say something.

“Uh” Bee ex-vented. “I’m sorry Knockout.”

Knockout rolled his optics overbearingly. “Well, never mind. I forgot you have your little human pets... Let’s not have a little mood-killer ruin our fun.” Knockout slowly reached to grab a hold on Bumblebee’s chassis and pull him in, but a sudden noise behind them made him stop.

Behind them, a ground bridge had suddenly appeared and out from it jumped several vehicons, with readied weapons, stopping up abruptly as they noticed the interlocked decepticon and autobot on the sand. They all aimed at Bumblebee at once.

“Knockout! Sir!” One of the vehicons at the front exclaimed.

They obviously thought Bumblebee and Knockout were fighting each other, having no idea of what they were really witnessing.

Knockout gritted his dentas, annoyance and alarm growing in him like uncontrollable weeds. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

He blinked once and then had eye contact with Bumblebee. Bumblebee optics widened in panic. “Oh scrap…”

Right after the vehicons appearance, another figure stepped out from the ground bridge. Most likely the one bot they least wanted to see.

Starscream.


	4. Starscream's Proposition

Knockout and Bumblebee shakily got up on their pedes, as they faced Starscream and the group of vehicons.

Starscream, gracefully swaying his hips as he went, soon noticed both mechs. His optics dilated with surprise.

“Knockout, what is the meaning of this?” he yelped.

Starscream eyed both of them, raising a questioning optic ridge as he saw the blue lubricant scattered here and there on their lower body plating. “What in Primus’ name has been going on here?” Starscream looked angrily at Knockout. “Soundwave reports he hasn’t been able to get in touch with you for almost an entire solar cycle, explain yourself, now!”

Bumblebee, alerted to the new danger, raised his weapon defensively, aiming directly at Starscream, while Knockout still stood frozen with a weird look on his face.

Starscream rolled his optics at Bumblebee and chuckled darkly. “Like you pose a threat, scout, outnumbered like this - don’t flatter yourself.”

Bumblebee’s optics narrowed in anger and he muttered something inaudible. Starscream then waved a servo in his direction. “Keep your aim on the scout; he’s not getting away from us this time.” Starscream smiled darkly at Bumblebee, then back at Knockout. “Where is the relic? Do you have it?”

Knockout quickly procured the folded Hydro Accelerator that he had clasped onto his hip for safekeeping.

“Here, Starscream. I, as you can see I… I ran into difficulties.” Knockout felt oddly flustered, it was not like him. He was sure it was more than because of what he and Bumblebee had been caught doing.

Starscream took the relic, gently turning it over in his servo. “Yes… obviously.”

“My communications equipment glitched, I tried to contact Soundwave.”

“Ahh yes, excuses excuses. I wonder what our dear leader will have to say to your pathetic justification.”

Knockout stared, furious, at Starscream, for making him look like a fool and for his unjustified rudeness. Suddenly, Knockout smirked, knowing that mentioning the beast was a sure way to shut him up.

“Starscream. There was another obstacle, if you look down the beach…”

Starscream gleamed beyond the two mechs standing in front of him, noticing the huge beast, frozen in its attack.

“By the AllSpark, what is that…” Starscream asked softly.

Knockout smiled with satisfaction, feeling his confidence return, in spite of being caught in his and Bumblebee’s naughty act. “That, Starscream… might just be a weapon for Megatron. I put him on ice for you. You’re welcome by the way.”

Starscream flinched in annoyance. “Tsk!” He turned toward the group of vehicons. “You there! Go back and ensure transport for that thing over there while it is still frozen.” Then he looked at Bumblebee and smiled in an up-to-no-good way. “And you… you come with us.”

Knockout glanced at Bumblebee, feeling dread wash over him. This was definitely not what he had planned. What was going to happen to him? He would hate to admit that he was worried about the autobot, but a tightening knot in his abdomen started growing bigger by the klick.

A vehicon stepped behind Bumblebee and aimed his cannon at Bee’s back, motioning for him to move toward the ground bridge. Bumblebee gave Knockout a look of hurt mixed with confusion that threatened to make him snap. Oh how he wished Bumblebee hadn’t just looked at him that way.

“Move it autobot,” the vehicon growled.

Bumblebee had no other option other than obey, so he did, stumbling forward from a hard vehicon push. Knockout felt panic rise in him like a tsunami.

“Wait…” he pleaded.

Knockout’s mind raged for an answer, a way out that would not include Bumblebee in the claws of Starscream, but he saw none, without giving away his newly birthed curiosity for him. Starscream sounded very impatient as he turned toward Knockout, optic ridges raised. “Yes…?”

A sheepish grin then ghosted over Knockout’s face. “Uh, I… it’s nothing. Carry on.”

Starscream huffed in annoyance and turned to move back through the ground bridge. Knockout watched as Bumblebee went through as well, as the prisoner he now was, feeling the knot in his abdomen grow fast, as if the knot was a monster that threatened to eat him up from the inside. With a heavy shadow looming over his head he followed, letting the pulsating light from the ground bridge swallow him.

 

~ • ~

 

The familiar feeling of the pressing dark of The Nemesis soon enclosed around the group that emerged from the ground bridge. They appeared at the head of the giant vessel, closing in on the main control bridge. Bumblebee looked around as he was forced along, taking in their gloomy surroundings.

Knockout kept glancing in Bumblebee’s direction as they went along the halls. The closer they got to the bridge, the bigger the knot in his abdomen became, making him want to grab Bumblebee’s servo and run. The notion was so ridiculous Knockout almost nervously laughed aloud in the silence. It was just a frag, nothing more, and a very one-sided one at that. Then why was he so afraid of what Megatron might do to him? Bumblebee sure took it well. Then… of course he did. He was Optimus’s brave scout.

Knockout then glanced in Starscream’s direction. Starscream wore this unreadable smirk. That was nothing new, but there was something about Starscream’s eyes. Something that made Knockouts optic ridges narrow in alarm.

They approached the big twin doors to the bridge and Knockout swallowed once. He saw Starscream’s self-satisfied grin as they turned the corner and entered the roomy control center. Vehicons were spread out across the room, their slit optics staring at monitors. Megatron and Soundwave immediately came into view at the end of the space.

Megatron’s usual heavy and darkened vibe met Knockout like thick claws brushing over his plating. He was used to it, but this time the claws ghosted over him with a new sense of foreboding, with a sense of something at stake, other than his own metal. The lord turned to face the newcomers. His red and hard gaze immediately fell on Bumblebee, and then continued to rest on Knockout. His voice slithered across the room like a silky and deadly snake.

“Caught vermin did we, Knockout?”

Knockout smiled nervously and fidgeted a little with his clawed digits behind his back, before placing a servo on his hip and smirking nonchalantly, knowing that most eyes rested on him now, including Starscream’s, that pompous slagger.

“Yes, my Lord, Megatron. I had the relic for your delivery, but I ran into the autobot.”

“Did you now? Tell me then, because I am left to wonder why you took your sweet time getting back; what exactly happened when you were gone?” A cruel smile played on Megatron’s lips. He knew all too well how to intimidate those weaker than himself and even though he had no information available yet, he knew, like a bloodhound, that there was something of value to be found if he dug deep enough.

Starscream practically seemed to be lifting off his pedes for bare want of interfering. Knockout sensed a Screamer rant coming on and he suppressed the urge to roll his optics as Starscream went over to Megatron to present the relic. What a suck-up!

“Master, here. The relic was found aboard a cybertronian vessel. If you approve I will send Shockwave to inspect the vessel further, if it so-“

“Did I ask you, Starscream?” Megatron’s face went very close to the seeker’s. It looked uncomfortable.

“Ugh, n-no My Lord.” Starscream stepped back.

Megatron had barely acknowledged Bumblebee’s presence, but looked straight at him now, with a piercing glare. Bumblebee stared back with an equal intensity and fearlessness, which undeniably made Knockout proud that he had let Bumblebee have his way with him on the beach. He could appreciate others having the guts to toy with their lives in front of his lord. It was brave.

“Before our little talk goes any further I want _him_ removed from my sight… Starscream, take him away.” Megatron gestured his helm towards the door, only waiting a few seconds before turning his attention toward Knockout again.

“As you wish, My Lord,” Starscream responded, with only a hint of bitterness in his voice. He signaled for the group of vehicons to escort Bumblebee out. On his way out Starscream stopped next to Knockout and put his slim and clawed servo on Knockout’s shoulder. He leaned in to whisper, “We should talk. Maybe after, I’ve asked your little friend a few questions…”

Knockout’s optics widened just enough for Starscream to know that he had successfully rattled him. Starscream smiled cruelly as he passed Knockout and vanished along with Bumblebee and the vehicons out the door. Megatron looked dangerously annoyed. Knockout knew if there was one thing his lord hated, it was to be kept waiting.

“Answer me this Knockout, why did you bring back the scout for questioning? I was sure I had made myself very clear when it comes to him specifically.” Megatron’s tone had changed from fake and alarming politeness to meaning business.

Knockout had no idea what Megatron was talking about. He frantically tried to remember for a few moments until the danger of letting too many seconds slip by became too high.

“Please remind me, Lord Megatron, I have… forgotten.”

Megatron rolled his optics. “That scout is useless to me, for the very reason that I have had him captured before and he refused to hand me the information I needed. If he did not break then, then he sure as the Pits of Kaon won’t break now.”

“I… see. He was brought back on Starscream’s orders Sir… What shall we do with him now?”

A dark smile played on Megatron’s lips. “He might still be of some use to us. I wonder what Prime would give for the safe return of his youngest team member. Starscream can try to poke information out of him, but I severely doubt his efforts will be fruitful.”

Knockout bit his bottom lip plate. “As you wish, Megatron.” Suddenly the image of the beast popped into his mind. “There was… another matter. When I entered the spaceship at my location, I triggered something onboard. A big mech came after me and… well it, it nearly melted my rear.”

“What kind of mech?”

“A big one. It’s being transported here as we speak, I’m sure you would like to examine it yourself Megatron. If it can be persuaded to join the decepticon cause I’m sure it would make a powerful addition. It, breathes fire… It’s like one of these ancient beasts I have seen on the organic network. It’s nothing like I’ve seen before. I froze it with the relic, a rather smooth move, if I do say so myself.” Knockout grinned victoriously. For a moment, he forgot whom he was talking to, until he noticed Megatron’s icy stare. “Ahem, that is why, My Lord, my return was delayed.”

Megatron stared silently at Knockout but seemed accepting of the answer.

“Interesting… I shall see for myself this beast you speak of. If it will not bow to me, I am sure Shockwave has a way to fixate it under my command regardless.” Megatron put his servos behind his back and turned towards Soundwave. “Soundwave, notify me when our new guest arrives and is locked down.” Soundwave nodded and turned his attention back to his monitor. Megatron only glanced a second at Knockout only to wave him away as if he was an annoying insect. Knockout was quick to take the hint. The audience had ended. Thank Primus.

Knockout turned to leave and quickly disappeared through the doorway. He caught himself clenching a servo on top of his spark chamber as he made it safely out into the hall. He could have sworn he could practically see Megatron’s mind rage as he realized Knockout had been fraternizing with the enemy, only, that didn’t seem to be the case.

A group of vehicons walked past him and they all stared at him, especially at his lower half, which was still splattered with blue lubricant. It would not have flustered him, except it belonged partly to an autobot!

“What are you staring at?” Knockout hissed as the vehicons walked by. Primus how he hated their faces. They were almost completely unreadable at all times.

One of the vehicons raised a servo up to his mouthpiece and whispered something to his neighbor, with his voice completely muffled. The other vehicon chuckled in response.

Oh how Knockout could just rip their cocky faces off. He grinded his dentas together and started making his way to his private quarters to clean up. He should feel relief, but Knockout felt increasingly angry and frustrated as he made his way through the halls of The Nemesis. Bumblebee’s face kept popping up in his mind. It was so aggravating!

Knockout finally reached his own quarters. He went inside and closed in on his berth with the familiar scent of his own room calming him down a little. He immediately took a washcloth and entered his own washstand. Thank Primus for the washstand installments since their arrival on Earth. Water was nonexistent on Cybertron and the newer way of washing with water was an efficient luxury that Knockout enjoyed fully. Breakdown had installed his… it was quite the fond memory when Knockout thought about it.

Breakdown…

He was just a memory now.

Knockout turned on the water faucet and let warm water rinse over his frame as well as the memories of his former partner. First, he pictured his face in his mind. The simple and brute features made Knockout smile inwardly. Breakdown had truly known how to enjoy an uncomplicated life. Then he remembered how Breakdown’s spike had felt inside him and he shivered from a pleasant tremor moving its way up between his legs. It stung a little too.

Knockout closed his optics and sighed. He gently started removing the lubricant from his lower half with the washcloth. Then images of Bumblebee popped into his mind instead. He wish he could turn them off like a switch. He moaned a little through gritted dentas, annoyed that the images did well as for turning him on even more. He did love that scout’s face and those big, round, innocent optics - and that spike of his. That little fragger had been so keen on pleasing him. Knockout had loved every second of it, relishing Bumblebee’s reactions to his tantalizing advancements. It was obvious that the scout was on unfamiliar ground when it came to interfacing, but Knockout had to admit that Bumblebee’s ignorance only spurred his want for him.

Knockout felt his interface panel heat up from the thought of his so-called enemy. He rested his servo at his spike panel, a single digit tapped restlessly on it once. He wondered if he should self-service. Get it out of his system so the scout’s face would lose its power over him.

No…

That slagger owed him an overload. Knockout smirked and wiped away the rest of the blue lubricant. Not that he would ever get said overload, now that Bumblebee was holed up in one of the interrogation rooms.

The thought of Starscream using his usual interrogation methods on Bumblebee snapped into Knockout’s mind. He shouldn’t care, but he did; just a little bit. He didn’t like the thought of Starscream touching Bumblebee in any way. Not that he liked to admit that to himself. Bumblebee was no Breakdown, but he was… well, he was similar in one way. Like Breakdown, Bumblebee was bold… fearless even. Breakdown had been reckless and brave enough so that Knockout didn’t have to be any of those things in battle and that was one thing he had loved about him. He appreciated it. At the end of the day it was about simple appreciation, and Knockout always ended up going that extra mile for things he appreciated.

Knockout exited the washstand with the washcloth tugged behind his neck. He casually started to wipe away the droplets that still lingered on his frame. Suddenly a ping appeared on the monitor beside the door. A sinking feeling settled in Knockout’s abdomen. He had a feeling of who was outside the door. He went over to the monitor and let the doors slide open.

Knockout casually rested his shoulder up against the doorframe while looking at his guest, smirking as if he knew a well-kept secret.

“Well, well. Starscream. What brings you here?”

Starscream stood with a servo resting on his hip and a sly smile accompanied him.

“Knockout.”

Starscream invited himself inside. He brushed past Knockout as if it was nothing. Knockout raised an optic ridge. “You know, usually a guest waits for an invitation.”

“Close the door.”

Knockout should have expected such a direct command, but a mix of confusion and annoyance started bubbling underneath Knockout’s surface regardless. So Starscream thought he could just come barging into his private quarters like that.

Knockout closed the door and turned to face Starscream. His washcloth still hung over his shoulder and droplets glistened on his plating. He saw Starscream’s optics trail slowly up his body. He thought he knew that look in Starscream’s eyes, but he wasn’t certain, there was a hunger to it that was impossible to dismiss.

“Mind telling me why you’re here Starscream? I take it you’re not just here to admire the view,” Knockout said in a most tantalizing tone. 

Starscream slowly approached Knockout, his hips swayed enticingly as he took his steps. He stopped just shy of Knockout’s torso and placed the lightest of digits on his chassis.

“I have a, what shall we call it. A proposition for you, Knockout.”

Knockout shivered unpleasantly from the pressure of Starscream’s claw. The thought of him scratching his paintjob made him want to either punch him or step back defensively, but he was undeniably intrigued. All he ended up doing was stare intently at the seeker in front of him. “What kind of proposition?”

Starscream’s mischievous smile broadened. “You see one such as I may covet something very dearly from time to time…” Starscream trailed his digit down Knockout’s chassis. “And now… that something is you.”

Knockout took in the confirmation of his suspicion and he took a tiny step back. He couldn’t help but smile in response, with the goal to hide that Starscream’s directness flustered him a little bit.

“No beating around the bush I see,” Knockout bantered.

Starscream just stared at him with that calculating smile of his.

“You… you can’t be serious though.” Knockout felt continually flustered that his Commander posed that kind of interest in him. He didn’t even like Starscream. He would admit his own interfacing standards sometimes happened to be on the low side, but Starscream… it was unthinkable. He was rude and unpredictable, totally unlike everything he liked about his actual interfacing partners.

“But I am, very serious.” Starscream went closer to Knockout, making Knockout back up near his berth. “I’ve been observing you for a long time Knockout. I saw the despair in your optics after Breakdown was offlined. I kept wondering, why you did not swear vengeance on that wretched Airachnid, after she pulled out Breakdown’s spark so mercilessly…” Starscream gently pushed Knockout down on the berth. Knockout calmly let him do it; he was too intrigued and astonished at Starscream’s behavior. Starscream stood over Knockout and he carefully tipped his chin with his clawed digits and continued. “I’ve seen who you are now… I gave you time to mourn your partner’s demise. And now… well.” Starscream gave a knowing chuckle. “I saw the same look on your face today as I saw after you and Breakdown had your… fun. Only, today you had fun with the scout… Is that not correct?”

“Well I…” Knockout spattered, optics suddenly flickering from one side of the room to the other. “It’s not what you think.”

“Ha! Do you take me for a fool? Oh dear… Knockout…” Starscream obviously thought he had Knockout on his hook. He placed his servos on Knockout’s shoulders and gently pushed him backwards. His face was now dangerously close to Knockout’s and he smiled deviously as he straddled himself on top of the bigger mech. Knockout’s optics widened, he felt his body press itself harder down on his berth involuntarily. Knockout took that as a sign that his body wasn’t really into what was happening, even though he felt a slight response in his lower region. Had things been different the offer might have been tempting.

Knockout then saw Starscream try to lean in to do something to his face, but Knockout felt that he had already let the situation go too far and he knew he could make him stop if he just opened his mouth.

“Alright I… I may have… fooled around with the autobot.” As Knockout expected Starscream stopped mid-motion and looked searchingly into his optics.

“So you, admit to it.”

“I do, I… funny how things play out sometimes isn’t it.” Knockout coughed dryly once. “I only took advantage of him… He practically _begged_ me for it.” Knockout suppressed a smirk. The last part wasn’t entirely a lie. On the contrary.

“And now he’s here… locked up. Chained. Ready for interrogation. How do you _feel_ about that?” Knockout paid attention to Starscream’s choice of pronunciation. If Starscream thought he could provoke an emotional answer out of him like that, he was sorely mistaken.

“I feel… nothing.”

“Is that so?” Starscream smiled, clearly unconvinced. “If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t mind if we get down to business, would you. I know all too well your taste for interfacing, you and Breakdown didn’t make a great effort to hide your activities.” He caressed a servo along the side of Knockout’s face, taking in Knockout’s white facial outlines. Knockout quivered a little from the seekers touch.

“What can I say?” Knockout moaned. “The spark wants what it wants. Whenever… wherever.”

“It does indeed… now I know that you have put Breakdown behind you, and you and I would make a great team. What do you say, Knockout?” Starscream was still searching Knockout’s optics, as if he expected to find a great secret within. Starscream’s tone had changed. It was suddenly softer. The feeling of his servo on Knockout’s face was cool to the touch, but very gentle.

“I…I'm”

Knockout suddenly felt torn. This gorgeous seeker was willingly presenting himself to him. Seekers were sought after by many mechs, because of their elegance, rarity and the delicate look to them, which made them special in the most brutal of worlds.

For a moment, Knockout let himself get lulled into the dream of him and Starscream being together. He had never thought about Starscream before in that manner, but maybe it was better that way. He was a decepticon too; he would never have to worry about them being caught or wonder if Starscream would rat him out to the enemy at his next given opportunity. Knockout felt himself slip away into Starscream’s grasp. Starscream’s soft grip on Knockout tightened and his smile only darkened as he realized victory fell into his vicinity. Starscream leaned in carefully to gently bite Knockout’s bottom lip and subsequently let his silver glossa move over Knockout’s lips like silk. Knockout moaned and closed his optics. Pits be slagged, Starscream was one hot seeker. Knockout shivered as Starscream’s digits pressed down on the side of his face.

Suddenly the memory of Bumblebee holding on to him and moaning gorgeously entered his mind. Knockout kept his optics closed and caught himself fantasizing that it was Bumblebee right now who sat straddled on top of him. He fondly reminisced the feeling of Bumblebee’s exquisite spike inside of him and watching his face contort in pleasure. He wanted him again… so badly.

Knockout opened his optics and put a servo on Starscream’s slim chassis, pushing him back just enough so he would understand the message. Starscream pulled back with an optic ridge raised.

Knockout chuckled. “You know, Starscream. You almost had me convinced, for a while there, you did.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that I should really compliment you, you know just which buttons to push when you want to seduce a mech such as myself and of course I can't blame you for wanting a piece.” Knockout smirked and pushed back Starscream even further, making him shuffle back and stand up beside the berth, with an utmost offended look on his face. Knockout stood up beside him.

Starscream spat next to Knockout. “What… is this supposed to be some kind of blatant refusal?”

“You’re a fine femme Starscream, but I prefer someone a little bulkier to buff my aft, if you catch my drift.”

Starscream’s optics darkened alarmingly. “You refuse me? Your own commander? You should feel exalted that I am even giving you this opportunity, because believe me it is only few I present it to.”

“I can’t…” was Knockout’s only response.

“Why, because of…? I knew it…” Starscream tapped one of his high heels on the ground in frustration. “The scout…” Starscream seemed to be seething with anger. “So you’ll what? Go after him, run to his rescue? I’d love to see that, how far do you think you will get, not to mention what do you think Megatron will do to you once I tell him of your little escapade?” A sudden triumphant smirk appeared on Starscream’s face.

Knockout squinted. “You won’t tell him because there will be nothing to report. How ditsy do you think I am? You have no proof and I will do nothing as futile as rescue him.”

Starscream lifted an accusing digit in Knockout’s direction. “Tch! I’m sure Megatron will appreciate hearing regardless what you were really up to today when I found you. Who knows if you can be trusted or not.”

Knockout laughed in response. “Really, Starscream? That’s rich coming from you. If I didn’t know better I would say you probably came here today because you wanted a quick-fix for your loneliness.”

Starscream’s optics widened. “My lone-…” his voice trailed off into a fuming haze. He abruptly grinded his dentas together and slammed a side-fist against the nearest wall. “You dare speak to me like this? You dare reject me only so you can throw this pathetic excuse of an analysis in my face?” Starscream angrily shook his fist at the red con opposite him.

Knockout raised his arms in front of him in a calm-down gesture, uncertain, if he ought to regret his recent words.

“Look uh, Starscream… I have to admit you know how to rev up my engine, but… you’re a gorgeous seeker, you could have anyone you want, just not this mech.”

Knockout decided it was best to leave the ship before it sank completely. He turned to leave; he wanted to check up on Bumblebee - make sure he wasn’t in any serious pain, but Starscream went in front of him to block his path.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’m not done with you yet.” Starscream’s usual devious smile was back.

“I’m going to check up on our prisoner, make sure he’s not suddenly bleeding energon out all over the place… let me pass and do my job.”

“Oh no… you don’t… actually I think it’s time I went to ask him a few questions.”

Knockout squinted with resentment in his crimson optics. That pompous self-serving fragger would do anything to ruin some of the sparsest fun he had had since Breakdown died. He decided to play along. “As you wish… then let me accompany you to the interrogation chamber.”

For a moment, Starscream seemed to ponder Knockout’s words. “Hmm… yes… this could be interesting. I’m sure you will enjoy the sight of your new toy after I’m through with him.”

Starscream smiled cruelly as he hit the monitor beside the door, so he could nonchalantly make his way down the darkened hallway. Knockout felt anger rush over him, so much so that his faceplates heated up and his optics burned an imaginary hole through Starscream’s back as he started to follow him down the hallway.

There were only two things that was able to make Knockout livid. One was to have his paintjob scratched up. The other, was to have something he appreciated taken away from him… Knockout could only guess how the next part would play out, but he knew, that the idea of seeing Bumblebee in the claws of Starscream bothered him more than he thought himself capable of feeling.


End file.
